The Other Side of Reality: Part I
by Alexandra
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Adalia tugged on the small hand clasped within her own. She had to make it to the park. The small child running next to her was trying to keep up, but her mother’s long strides were no match for her short legs. “Mommy,” she whined, hoping to get a chance to rest.

Adalia glanced down at her daughter. Reaching down, she swept the child into her arms and kept going. Rina was not yet five years old and still light enough for her to carry easily. Adalia was trying to contain her fear, keep herself in control. But she felt fear more for her daughter than herself.

“Where are we going mommy?” asked Rina, her trusting blue eyes wide.

“We’re going to the park honey,” she replied, slightly out of breath. “Then we might take a trip. But for now we have to be quiet, okay?”

The child nodded furiously, her brown hair falling in front of her face. Adalia focused her gray eyes on the ground, making sure not to trip on anything that was in her path. Someone trying to break into her apartment had awakened her in the middle of the night. Adalia was about to call the cops when the door had given way.

The man had been twice her size, though obviously only had half her intelligence. He figured that she would fall easily. What he hadn’t counted on, was the fact that she had learned how to fight from elves. Adalia had managed to drop him quickly and then ran to her daughter’s room.

Rina was hiding under her bed, thinking that a monster was outside. Adalia stuffed a few things into a bag and then took her daughter into her arms and ran out of the apartment. Truth be told, Adalia didn’t know what she was doing, what had caused her to panic. Though the mere thought of her only child in danger made her instincts well up, it was no reason to simply go running to the park.

Something inside her told her that man was not simply there for money. He was there for something else. Adalia ran harder after thinking that she heard distant footsteps. She was grateful for the cover of the trees when they reached the park. Dashing through the trees, she searched for that ancient beech.

Adalia set Rina down and crouched, ripping open the bag that she had brought. Pulling out a single arrow, she handed it to her daughter. “Rina, angel, do you remember the phrase mommy had told you to remember?” The girl nodded. “I want you to say that phrase to the first person you come across that has pointy ears, like yours. Then give them that arrow. They can help you. Do you understand sweetie?”

“Are you going away mommy?” Rina asked, her eyes filling with tears.

Adalia had to fight the tears that came to her eyes. “I’ll hopefully be right behind you. I want you to be brave angel. You’ll be fine. Mommy will come get you okay?”

The girl nodded before giving her a hug. “I love you mommy.”

“I love you too Rina. Now remember what I said. Go touch that tree sweetie.” Adalia rose and gave her daughter a gentle push towards the beech tree. She could hardly stand to think of what she was doing, but it seemed the only way.

Rina looked back momentarily before touching the first tree she saw. Adalia closed her eyes after seeing her child disappear. It had worked. And if things were still as they should be, her daughter was among the elves.

Foliage was smashed beneath heavy feet, drawing Adalia’s attention away. She turned and ran, hoping to draw her pursuers away from the trees.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Giliath strode through the trees, his search party behind him. They were on a patrol for orcs, making sure that the kingdom of Mirkwood was safe for all elves. Then he stopped and listened. He heard the most curious sound; the sound of a human crying.

Motioning for the elves to be silent, he crept closer to one of the clearings. Peering out from the trees, he saw a small child sitting on the ground of a clearing, crying. What surprised him was that though the child sounded human, she had the ears of the elves.

Deciding that the child was no threat, he moved out of the trees, careful to not scare the girl. “Little girl why do you cry?” he asked gently, coming closer.

The child’s head shot up, revealing puffy blue eyes. “Who are you?” she asked, rather fearfully.

“I won’t hurt you little one,” Giliath said soothingly, crouching. “My name is Giliath. What is your name?”

The child sniffled before saying, “Rina.”

Giliath paused for a second. In the elven language, rina meant memory. “Well, Rina what are you doing here all alone?”

Tears streaked Rina’s face. “My mommy said to come here. She said that everything would be okay and she would come get me when she could.” The girl paused and looked up at Giliath. Her eyes traveled to his ears, noticing the defined point that they came to.

“Yes, I am an elf, child,” he said, smiling. “An elf of Mirkwood.”

Rina gulped and reached behind her back, pulling out an arrow. “My mommy said to tell the first person with pointy ears that I met something. I’m supposed to say that… I am the daughter of lindor and luch… luch… luchador. Then I have to give you this arrow.”

Giliath took the arrow in surprise. It was one of Legolas’ arrows. And the child said lindor and luchador. From what he knew, those were the names that Legolas and Adalia used for each other. His blue eyes widened. This was their child.

Giliath gazed at the child, her lower lip quivering. “Come little one, you do not need to cry. You are safe here. Why don’t you come with me and we can go see the king. Would you like to do that?”

The girl’s eyes brightened. “Can I play a princess?” she asked eagerly.

Giliath grimaced at how close to the truth that statement was. “Yes. Now follow me little one.” He held the small hand within his own. He motioned to the rest of his patrol, saying that they should go on. King Legolas would want to see his daughter immediately.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Legolas paced thoughtfully around his study, his head bent in thought and his hands clasped behind his back. The scouting party led by his friend and advisor Giliath had yet to return. Why something like that should worry him, he had no idea.

A knock came to his door and he turned to open it. Outside was Giliath, as well as a small brown-haired child who hid behind his legs. Legolas raised an eyebrow at the sight. “Giliath?” he asked expectantly.

“Sire,” he began, walking into the room, the child behind him. He glanced down and sighed. “Little one, it is alright. You are safe here.” The child looked up at Legolas before disappearing behind Giliath once again.

“Who is this?” asked Legolas, more curious than anything.

“This is Rina,” the elf said. He glanced down again. “Rina, tell him what you told me.”

She crept out from behind him and looked up at Legolas with a face that was strikingly familiar. “My mommy says that I am the daughter of lindor and luchador.”

Legolas’ breath caught in his throat. His eyes widened when Giliath handed him an arrow. “She gave this to me in the clearing. The same clearing that we have spoken of.”

The elf was speechless. Lindor and luchador. Then that would mean that this Rina was his child; his daughter. He gazed down at the girl, looking around at the room stacked with books and papers. His daughter.

Legolas looked up at Giliath, unsure of what else to do. Bewilderment shown in his eyes and Giliath nodded. He was as surprised as Legolas. Kneeling down, Giliath looked at the small girl. “Are you hungry little one?” When she nodded he smiled. “Then let us get you something to eat.” He led the child out of the room, leaving Legolas alone momentarily.

Legolas sank into a chair, slouching in a very undignified way. How in the name of the Valar did he have a daughter? He leaned forward, resting his head in his hands. It must have been that last night with Adalia. And to think that he wasn’t there for her.

He wished he had been. Wished he had spent every last second with Adalia. But then his father had sailed to the West, leaving his son to rule Mirkwood. Legolas couldn’t leave his people with all of his responsibility. He was a king now.

The door opened quietly and Giliath entered. “Legolas,” he said softly.

“You found her in the clearing?” the Elvenking asked, his voice muffled.

“I heard her crying,” explained Giliath. “She was sitting next to the tree.”

Legolas sighed and lifted his head. “Why would she come here? Why would Adalia send the child to me?”

Giliath did not know why. “Maybe she thought it safer for her to be here. I think that such a question should be asked of the child.”

Legolas nodded and stood up. He followed Giliath to the kitchens where Rina sat eating one of the pastries. She grinned when she saw them, frosting all over her mouth. Legolas couldn’t help but smile at her.

“Rina, my name is Legolas,” he began, sitting next to her. “Can you tell me what happened?”

Rina swallowed and wiped her mouth. “I was sleeping and then I heard a crash. Some loud noises came from outside and then they stopped. I crawled under my bed because I was afraid that the boogieman was there. Then mommy came in and said that it was okay. She grabbed some things and told me that we were going.”

“What does your mommy look like?” he asked, holding his breath.

“Like my mommy,” she replied firmly.

Legolas sighed. Figured that he wouldn’t get a straight answer. “Okay. So you were going somewhere?”

Rina nodded. “Mommy just held my hand and led me outside. She was walking really fast and I couldn’t keep up. She picked me up and carried me to the park. Then she told me that she would come back for me and that everything was going to be all right. Then I had to touch a tree and I was here.”

“Well, you are safe now,” Legolas said calmly. He glanced up at one of the elf maidens standing along the wall. He motioned to her and the golden- haired she-elf came over. “This is Laurelin,” Legolas introduced. “She will take you to get a change of clothes and then I will meet you in the Great Hall. Is that all right Rina?”

The child glanced up at Laurelin before nodding. “Okay.” She threw her arms around Legolas, hugging him. Then she took the she-elf’s hand and left the room.

Legolas sat stunned for a moment. He could feel the love in his heart grow every time he thought of the child. His child. Standing back up, he looked at Giliath. “Gather some of your men and go back to the clearing. If Rina is right, then Adalia may be coming back.”


| Part II |
| Index |